Yi Tianyun stared coldly at Lin Li, who lay collapsed on the ground. Drenched in a cold sweat from the pain, Lin Li’s face was a twisted mask of agony. But Yi Tianyun felt not an ounce of pity—only rage.

’If I hadn’t returned a little sooner, if I weren’t a little stronger, Yi Yuwei and the others would have been in grave danger.’

"Didn’t you want to fight me one-on-one? Get up!" Yi Tianyun yelled, the rage in his heart not diminishing in the slightest.

Beaten half to death, Lin Li could hardly get back on his feet. His face was pale, filled with humiliation, but even more so with terror. He never imagined Yi Tianyun’s strength would be so horrifying. Had he known, he never would have picked this fight.

"Your strength... How can it be this great...?" His throat was dry, and his voice was raspy and harsh.

Yi Tianyun didn’t answer. He took two steps forward, grabbed Lin Li’s other arm, and said icily, "You wanted to use this hand to strike someone just now. In that case, you won’t be needing it anymore!"

With a vicious twist, he completely crippled the arm. Lin Li shrieked in agony. With another arm ruined, he was now no different from a cripple.

"Kill... kill me! The Divine Rune Mansion will make you regret this!" Lin Li roared. He knew begging for mercy was pointless; Yi Tianyun was definitely going to kill him.

"Rest assured, if the Divine Rune Mansion provokes me, I’ll flatten them all the same," Yi Tianyun said coldly.

"Flatten the Divine Rune Mansion? Hahaha... With just you and that helper of yours? Haha, you’re too naive! You think the Divine Rune Mansion is that weak?" Lin Li yelled, his voice dripping with scorn.

"We’ll see about that. Even if I can’t flatten it right away, I’ll take my time. I have all the time in the world." Yi Tianyun raised his hand. A flicker of light suddenly appeared beside him—it was the Immortal Fire. The ultimate flame flared to life, and its intense heat completely dispelled the cave’s chill.

"You... you..." Faced with the fear of death, Lin Li’s body trembled uncontrollably.

"I’ll let you die by this flame. If you have a next life, don’t cross me... or you’ll die a miserable death!" With a wave of his hand, Yi Tianyun unleashed the terrifying Immortal Fire, and it surged forward.

"I’ll haunt you as a vengeful ghost! I’ll never let you go!" Lin Li roared one last time.

"A vengeful ghost? Go ahead and try. Vengeful ghosts are the last thing I’m afraid of," Yi Tianyun sneered.

With one final, bloodcurdling scream, Lin Li was slain. He did not become a so-called vengeful ghost; he was simply and utterly annihilated.

"Ding! Successfully killed Lin Li. Obtained 170,000 Experience, 2,400 Madness Value, and 500 Divine Rune Proficiency. Obtained Martial Arts: Celestial Cloud Palm (Earth Level, Low Grade). Obtained Items: Divine Rune Paper (High Grade), Energy Pill (x1)."

’As expected, killing someone who can engrave Divine Runes grants Divine Rune Proficiency. If I paid a visit to the Divine Rune Mansion, I could easily max out my proficiency. Of course, I’d rather the Divine Rune Mansion not provoke me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind bathing them in blood!’

Yi Tianyun’s gaze was frigid. Without even sparing the corpses a second glance, he turned and walked out.

"Elder Yi, thank you for saving us," Yi Yuxuan and the others said, filled with gratitude as they followed him out.

"No, I’m the one who dragged you into this. I almost caused an irreversible tragedy." The fire in Yi Tianyun’s heart had yet to fade. ’They can come after me, but to go after my friends... what is the meaning of this?’

He was furious. His one and only bottom line had been crossed, and the price for that would not be a small one.

"It’s alright, as long as we’re safe now..." They were relieved, but also deeply worried.

Yi Yuwei knew Yi Tianyun was powerful, but she still worried that he could be captured. If they were used as hostages and he obediently surrendered, it would be a dead end for all of them.

"Of course I came. This was my responsibility, so of course I’d be here," Yi Tianyun said gravely. "You all should head back now. No one will come looking for trouble with you again. I have to go somewhere first."

Seeing the cold light in his eyes, Yi Yuwei couldn’t help but tremble. Still, she nodded and said, "Alright. I’ll wait for you back at the inn..."

"Okay. Miss Ren, you go back with them. Wait for my word." Yi Tianyun’s eyes were like ice. This time, he would act alone.

"I understand, Brother," Ren Zhirou nodded obediently.

They departed at once. After they were gone, Yi Tianyun summoned his pet, the Black Dragon, and flew toward the Wang Family, his speed instantly soaring to its absolute limit.

He didn’t know the Wang Family’s exact location, but he knew the general direction. He would not be able to quell the rage in his heart until he had utterly destroyed them.

「Meanwhile, the situation at the Wang Family estate had also changed.」

"I wonder what’s happening with Lin Li. Did he kill that brat? Leaving him alive would be a huge liability down the road." Patriarch Wang’s brow was deeply furrowed. He hoped Lin Li wouldn’t screw things up.

"We sent Elder Wang Qing this time. I refuse to believe that brat can escape his grasp," sneered Elder Wang Shaohua, who was standing nearby.

"Of course. Sending even Elder Wang Qing is a bit of overkill," Patriarch Wang said, his eyes cold. "Anyone who stands in my way, anyone who obstructs my path forward, will be eliminated. That includes the Zhu Family!"

Just as they were thinking this, a deafening BOOM suddenly echoed from outside, followed by a series of screams. They scrambled to their feet. "What’s going on outside? Let’s go take a look!"

Patriarch Wang had a bad feeling. He ran outside with Elder Wang, and when they emerged from the room, they found the world outside ablaze. A sea of fire filled the sky, covering a large swath of the Wang Family estate, and screams echoed from all directions.

Many Wang Family disciples were fleeing for their lives. Those who were touched by the flames were instantly incinerated, completely unable to resist the terrifying fire.

"What... what is happening?" They stared, wide-eyed. In the blink of an eye, the Wang Family estate had been plunged into a sea of fire. They were stunned by the scene. This was clearly no ordinary fire, but some kind of terrifyingly powerful flame.

A guard then rushed in from outside, wiping cold sweat from his brow as he reported, "Patriarch, someone has charged in from outside... with a Black Dragon!"

"A Black Dragon!?" They were stunned yet again. ’Anyone who possesses a Divine Beast is definitely from a major power. When did we ever provoke a major power?’